Cash-register



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1..

I. D. BOYER. CASH REGISTER No. 471,094. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

IA/ VE N T 0!? 0714/ MQM/ A TIM/ 78- WITNESSES:

QKQ? O (No Model.) '4 SheetsSheet 3.

I. D. BOYER. CASH REGISTER.

Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

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ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISRAEL DONALD BOYER, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,094, dated March 22, 1892.

Application filed August 24, 1891. Serial No. 403,580. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL DONALD BOYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cash registers and indicators, and more particularly to that class which are commonly employed for indicating and recording various amounts of money received in trade, of which class my prior patent, No. 442,851, dated December 16, 1890, is a sample.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction, arrangement, and operation of this class of devices enerally and the devices illustrated in my prior patent specifically, and, further, to produce a cheap, simple, effective cash register and indicator-,which may be easily operated, is not liable to get out of order, and cannot be tampered with by unauthorized persons.

To these ends my invention consists in the cash register and indicator embodying featu res of construction, arrangement, and mode of operation substantially such as is hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a front elevation of the register complete. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line Z Z, Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the drawer-uncoupling mechanism. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing more particularly the two vertically-reciprocating frames and their roclcshaft, some of the mechanism being omitted. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the vertically-reciprocating counter- W6lgl1t-fltlll6. Figs. 7 and 8 are sections of the same, taken, respectively, on the linesa a; and 3/ 3 Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail View showing the indicators in front elevation. Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional View on the line .2 2, Fig. 8, showing the arrangement of the indicators and indicator-rods. Fig. 11 is a top view showing the indicator-frame and some of the levers. Fig. 12 is a front view of the main releasing-pins and their supportingbar used in connection with the adding device.

Fig. 13 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 14 is a plan of the same. Figs. 15, 16, and'17 are detail views illustrating one of the pins.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a cash register and indicator the mechanism of which shall be completely inclosed within a case, without slots or openings of any kind for the entrance of dirt or dust, or to admit of tampering with the mechanism by unauthorized persons from the outside. For this purpose I provide a case NV, which may be made of any suitable material, and which is preferably provided with a door W by which access may be obtained to the adding and other mechanism by those authorized and having akey. The front of the case is preferably made of metal, the parts W and W being rigid and secured to the frame of the case, while the part carries a sliding keyboard 14 and closes the remaining portion of the box, except what is closed by the strips 20 and 21. It will be seen from the above construction that the operative parts of the device are completely inclosed, the only portion exposed being the keys at tached to the movable keyboard, and the only means of access to any of the operative parts is through the door in the top, which is supposed to be locked or otherwise secured and to be under the exclusive control of the party authorized to examine the register.

Another feature of myinvention relates to the arrangement of the keys and the movable keyboard, and, further, to the means for operating the indicators and register or adding device when the keys are depressed. As above indicated, is a portion of the front of the frame, which is movable vertically with relation to thefremaining frame, and on this frame is mounted the keyboard 14, carrying the keys. These keys may be arranged in various ways; but I prefer to arrange them substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 5--that is, in three banks or series of keys with nine keys in each bank. The first bank on the right hand is for cents, the middle bank dimes, and the left-hand bank dollars, although, of course, any other series of numbers or quantities may be used. These keys V have a very short vertical movement in the frame, which carries them with respect to each other, and each is provided with a suitable spring device shown as a spiral spring 13, coiled round the stem of the keys, which normally holds them in their highest position, but readily yields when any key is depressed, so that the shoulder 4; on the key strikes the horizontal plate 14 of the movable frame W after which, on continued pressure on the key, the frame, with the entire keyboard, is carried down into the position shown in dottedlines, Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the keys under this arrangement may be brought very close togetherand may have a long motion, but Willi move with relation to each other but a short distance, and this will prevent their obstructing the hand or fingers of the operator and make him less liable to strike one or more of the adjacent keys accidentally. The keys do not directly operate either the indicators or the register; but when any one or more keys are depressed it sets the parts of the device, so that when the keys are relieved of the pressure of theoperator they are restored to their normal position and the indicators and adding device operated automatically in a manner hereinafter pointed out.

Arrangedinsome convenient position, preferably in the upper portions of the case, is

the adding mechanism A, and as this adding mechanism is substantially the same as that shown in my prior patent, No. 442,851, I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the details of construction or operation, but have simply shown a box orcasing marked A, having sides a a, and showing one supportingbar a projecting from the side of the box, carrying one of the pins P, it being understood, of course, that there are as many pins as there are indicators or keys. As in my former patent, the registering device is operated by a number of motor-weights X, one of which is shown in Fig. 3; also, arranged in the upper portion of the case is a frame M, (shown in Figs. 3 and 11,) which serves as a guide for the indicator-bars I and to support them in their normal position, and also as a support for the pin-operating levers L.

The operating mechanism consists, essentially, of two vertically-sliding frames B and O, and these are connected by rocker-arms rigidly attached to the rock-shaft S, mounted on bearings in the sides of the outer case. These frames are retained in their respective vertical planes by flanges a, passing between friction-rollers 15, of which there are eight to each frame.

At the outer end of each rocker-arm is a roller 16, which fits into the recesses c of the frames B and O, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6. As will be seen in the sectional view of this frame in Fig. 5, the ends of the rock-shafts fit neatly in the recesses c of the frames 13 and O, and thus they prevent any lateral movement of the frames and produce little or no friction, while the flanges c of the frames, movable between the friction-rollers, serve to keep the frames properly in their places as regards any forward or backward motion and allow their movement vertically without friction. More than this, it will be seenthat both ends of each of the frames 13 and 0 must rise and fall to equal heights. In other words, the frames cannot turn or get twisted in their places, because the rockerarms are secured to the rock-shaft, and the transverse strength of the rocker-arms and the torsional strength of the rock-shaft combine to maintain the parts in proper relation to each other under all conditions.

Connected to the vertical frame B is the sliding frame or keyboard 14, and these parts move together downward when one of the keys is depressed and upward when the pressure is removed. The upward movement is caused by the frame 0 being made with an excess of weight, so that it operates practically as a counter-weight to the frame B and its attached keyboard and normally holds them in their elevated position. WVhen the keyboard and the front frame B are depressed, the rear frame 0 is elevated, and this frame comes in contact with any, of the motorweigh-ts X which may have been run down and the Weights are elevated, thus always keeping power stored up to operate the adding mechanism in the manner clearly set forth in my prior patent.

In order that a correct indication may be made in accordance with the key or keys depressed by the operator, I provide as many indicators and indicator bars or rods I as there are keys. These indicator-rods I are arranged to slide vertically in the frame M, as shown in Figs. 3 and 11, and normally they are supported by this frame, there being a pin 17, Fig. 3, passing through each rod and resting upon the upper portion of the frame M, so that the indicators are normally supported in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

Each indicator-rod is provided with a trip t near its bottom and with another trip T, arranged in the presentinstance near its center, for the purposes hereinafter described. The vertical indicatonrods all liein one plane, and are arranged in banks, each corresponding with the arrangement of the keys. The rods are preferably made of brass or similar material, rectangular in cross-section, and slide through the rectangular slots in the frame M, being secured therein by the strip m Fig. 11.

The indicators 1' are preferably constructed of tin or similar material, and are attached to the upper ends of their respective rods. They are bent so that their planes, which are all parallel to each other, make an acute angle with the plane of the rods. This angle is made only just sufficient to enable the indicators to clear each other properly.

The indicators lie in regular succession, those of the highest denomination of each bank being nearest to the glass plate G in the front of the case. Thisis done so that in case two or more indicators of any group should be brought up at once, but one, and that the one of the highest denomination, would be the one which could be visible and which would correspond with the amount recorded by the adding-wheels.

The zero-indicators and the indicator which carries the dollarsign are stationary, being supported by brackets j, secured to the back of the casing, as shown in Fig. 10.

As before stated, the keys do not of themselves operate the indicator or adding mechanism; but these mechanisms are operated by the frames, as above indicated, the proper connection being made or set by the keys. In order that this may be done, I provide a series of trip-levers D, which are pivotally mounted and supported upon the cross-bar D, there being as many trip-levers as there are keys or indicator-rods. The end cl of each trip-lever is weighted, so that the levers are maintained norinallyin a position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and it will be seen that the toe d of the lever is under the toe t of the trip t, the trip resting on the toe of the lever. \Vhen any one or more keys have been depressed, they strike on their respective underlying levers D, throwing them into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, releasing the trip 2%, which then swings by its own gravity to the position shown in dotted lines. In this position the trip or trips hang directly in the path of a bar 5, which bar is a rigid part of the vertically-sliding frame B. When the pressure of the hand is removed from the key or keys, the keyboard returns to its normal position by virtue of a counterweighted frame 0, and the bar I) strikes the trip or trips 25 which have been released by their respective keys and carries up the correspondingindicator, the others remaining in their normal position, with the toes of theirtrips restingon the toes of the key-levers. It will thus be seen that when any one or more of the keylevers is operated by depressing the corresponding key the frames automatically operate to elevate the corresponding indicatorbar, and the indicators show through the glass G the number correspondingto the keys operated. When it is desired to make change, the keyboard lei is pressed down without pressing on any of the keys or operating any of the key-levers, and this will open the drawer and ring the bell and set all the indicators to zero.

It is very important that the registering or adding device should correspond with the amount shown by the indicators or the sum of the indicators, and to accomplish this result I arrange it so that each indicator shall operate the adding mechanism. As before stated, each indicator is provided with a trip T, and when the indicator is lifted this upper trip strikes the corresponding lever L, lifting it into the position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 3, and thus forcing in the corresponding pin P of the adding mechanism. When the indicator reaches a certain point, the lever L drops oil. the trip by virtue of its own weight and the pin P also returns to its normal posi-= tion, being thrown out by a spring or other device of the adding mechanism. (Notspecifically illustrated in the drawings.)

From the above it will be seen that when the operator depresses a key and moves the keyboard down the key-lever is tripped, and then when he releases the keyboard the counterweighted frame operates to raise the indicator, and in doing this to operate the adding mechanism; and it is impossible to operate an indicator without having a proper record made in the adding device, and the indicator remains in this elevated position until pushed down, notbeing allowed to fall, notwithstanding the pressure is removed from the keys. In order that this operation may be performed perfectly, it is important that the reciprocating frames should also perform a complete reciprocation. To insure this being done I employ what is known as a round-trip ratchet K, which is secured to the rear of the case, and a pawl 7o, which is carried by the counterweighted frame 0, a flat spring 7s serving to hold the pawl L in a central position. The operation of this deviceiswell understood and need not be further explained 5 but it will be seen that before the indicators or adding device are operated the keys and keyboard must be fully depressed, so as to trip the key lever or levers D.

The construction and operation of the adding mechanism were fully explained in my prior patent above alluded to, and its construction will be thoroughly understood from reading that patent. I have, however, made an improvement in the mechanism for pushing in the movable pins P in the addingwheels. As before stated, the levers L, Fig. 3, are all in line, there being one lever corresponding to each indicator-rod and one pin P corresponding to each lever. The outer end of these pins P lie in a straight line and one bears against each lever L. 011 the rear end of each pin P there is a foot F, (see Figs. 12 to 17,) and each pin ofeach series has a foot of a different shape, and each foot carries near its extremity a small pin 1). These pins p all lie in an arc of a circle, as shown in Fig. 13, and it is these pins which reach through the sides of the adding-box and control the adding-wheels in the manner set forth in my previous patent. It will be noticed that each foot F has two shoulders f, one of which overlaps a shoulder on the preceding foot, and the other of which is overlapped by the shoulders of the succeeding f oot, except that the two extreme feet have but one shoulder, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. From this construction it will be evident that if pin P be pressed inward it will move alone and its pin 1) will press in one pin in the adding-wheel, allowing the latter to operate one point. If pin P be pressed in its feet, overlapping the foot of pin P, will cause P to move along with it. In the same manner P will carry P along with it and the corresponding pins 13 11 will push in three pins in the adding-wheel, allowing it to move IIO three points. In general, if one pin P be pressed in it carries with it all the preceding pins P, and it will further be seen that if the foot F is pressed outward, as by a spring .9, Fig. 14, it will throw the pins P outward, and this pin P will carry all the others outward with it.

Connected with the indicatorand register is a money-drawer, arranged in a recess below the indicator, preferably forming part of the case thereof. This drawer consists of two parts, the drawer proper and the follower, which lies behind it. The follower, as here shown, is simply a block of wood, which lies behind the drawer and carries the gravitylatch J, the metal plate or cover Q, the separating-spring 07?, and the spring racket-plunger it. When the drawer is shoved home, the gravity-latch J in the follower catches into a recess in the rear of the drawer, thus coupling both together. If now the drawer be pulled out, as it always can be, there being no fastening to hold it in, the follower comes along with it. When the follower comes out, the spring-plunger n drags over the toothed rack 01', thus making a noise.

'As an additional safeguard, I fasten a metal plate Q to the top of the follower N. This plate extends entirely over the drawer, so

that when the drawer and follower come out together the drawer is covered with a lid; but if instead of pulling the drawer out, as described, the register be first-operated, then the counter-weight (J in rising strikes the pin e on the lever E, (see Fig. 4,) thus depressing rod e. This rod strikes the gravity-catch J, uncoupling the drawer from the follower, when the springn instantly throws the drawer outward, the follower and the lid remaining where they were. In this case the drawer is open and the cash accessible. Whenever the register is operated, a gong is struck at the completion of the downstroke of the keys. This gong is not shown in the drawings, being common in this class of machines. It will thus be seen that should a thief open the money-drawer without pressing the keys he would find the drawer covered by a lid and make a big racket besides; but if he presses the keys the drawer would spring out without the lid; but in this case the gong would sound an alarm. It will be seen that although the drawer is not fastened in the register yet the cash can never be got at without giving an alarm.

It will be obvious that instead of employing the spring-plunger n to make a racket it may be arranged that the follower N in coming out trips an alarm-gong or call-bell; but this expedient is so obvious that I think it needs no further illustration. I do not, however, consider it necessary to employ both the alarm mechanism and the drawer-lid Q at the same time. Generally one alone will give ample protection.

The shape of the follower is not essential, neither is it necessary that it be behind the drawer. All that is required is that it shall be capable of being coupled to or uncoupled from the drawer, should sound an alarm on being drawn out along with the drawer, or should hold a cover over the drawer while coupled to it, all in the manner and for the purpose as explained. The separating-spring is not essential, although I prefer to use it. It will of course be understood that the drawer can never be removed from the register, there being a fixed stop a which limits theoutward movement of the drawer.

Having thus described and illustrated the preferred embodimentof myinvention andset forth its general mode of operation, it will be understood that Ido not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangementof the parts set forth, as it is evident that they could be varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of my invention, and it is also evident that parts of the invention may be used in combination with each other or in combination with other equivalent parts.

What I claim is 1. In a cash registerand indicator, a cashregistering mechanism, a containing-case for the same completely closed, except a single opening, and a reciprocating keyboard fitting said opening in the case and at all times completely closing it, substantially as described.

2. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the operating mechanism. of a movable keyboard carrying the keys and arranged to move bodily a uniform distance when any one or more of the keys are depressed, substantially as described.

3. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the operating mechanism, of an inclosing case, a movable keyboard forming part of the case and carrying the keys and arranged to move bodily when any one or more of the keys are depressed and at the same time to maintain the case closed throughout its movement, substantially as described.

4. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the operating mechanism, of an inclosing ase having a movable portion carrying the keys, the said mechanism being arranged to be operated when the moving portion of the case is depressed by pressure upon one or more of the keys, substantially as described.

5. In acash register and indicator, the combination, with the operative mechanism, of a movable keyboard and keys mounted thereon, each keyhaving a movement relative to the movable keyboard, and a further movement of a uniform distance with the keyboard, substantially as described.

6. In a cash register and indicator, the comthe indicating devices, of two reciprocating frames for operating said devices, the said framesbeing connected by rocker-arms, substantially as described.

7. In a cash register and indicator, the com- IIO bination, with the adding mechanism and bination, with the adding mechanism and indicating devices, of two reciprocating sliding frames for operating said devices, the said frames being connected by t\ 0 or more rockerarms mounted on a rocker-shaft located between the frames, substantially as described.

8. In a cash register and indicator, the combination,withthe sliding frames, of the rockerarms rigidly connected to the rocker-shaft, the guide-rollers in the sides of the case, be-

tween which the sliding frames move, and the anti-friction devices on the ends of the rockerarms engaging the frames, substantially as described.

9. In a cash register and indicator, the combination,with the adding mechanism and indicating devices, of two sliding frames for operating them, rockerarms connecting said sliding frames, one of the frames being heavier.

and acting as a counter-balance to operate the indicating devices, substantially as described.

10. In a cash register and indicator, the combination,with the adding mechanism and indicatin g devices, of two sliding frames, rockerarms connecting the frames, one of the frames being counterweighted and arranged to operate the indicating devices and the adding mechanism by its weight, the weights of the adding mechanism being arranged to be lifted by the counterweighted frame as it is elevated, substantially as described.

11. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the indicating devices, of a movable keyboard carrying the keys, the keyboard being arranged to move a uniform distance, and connections between the keyboard and the indicating devices, whereby they may be operated, substantially as described.

12. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the indicating devices, of trip devices controlling their movements and a movable keyboard arranged to move a uniform distance and controlling the movements of the trip devices, substantially as described.

13. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the indicating devices carrying trips, of trip-levers controlling said trips, the said trip-levers being controlled by the keys on the movable keyboard arranged to move a uniform distance, substantially as described.

14. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the indicating devices, of vertically-sliding frames connected together, trip devices on the indicating devices, and means for releasing said trip devices, whereby when the trip devices are released the indicators will be raised by the counterbalanced frames, substantially as described. 4

15. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the vertically-moving indicating devices having trips, of trip-levers controlling said trips and controlled by the keys, and avertically-sliding frame carrying a crossbar arranged to engage the trips when released by their trip-levers, substantially as described.

16. Ina cash register and indicator, the combination, with the vertically-moving indicating devices arranged parallel to each other in a frame, of gravity-trips for said devices, triplevers controlling said trips and controlled by the keys, and trips mounted on said indicat ing devices arranged to engage and operate the adding mechanism, substantially as described.

17. In a cash register and indicator, the com-.

bination, with the adding mechanism and the indicating devices mounted in a frame, of levers also mounted in the frame controlling the adding mechanism, the indicating devices being provided with trips arranged to engage the levers and operate the adding mechanism, substantially as described.

18. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the adding mechanism and indicating devices, of two moving frames, one of said frames forming a counter-balance, trips connected to the indicating devices, whereby they may be operatedby the frames, and other trips connected to the indicating devices for operating the adding mechanism, substantially as described.

19. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the adding mechanism and indicating devices, the moving frames, and the trips and trip-levers, of the moving keyboard carrying the keys and connected to the movable frames, substantially as described.

20. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the moving frames and the movable keyboard connected to one of the frames, of a series of indicating devices carryin g trips, and trip-levers controlling said trips and controlled by the keys of a movable keyboard, the arrangement being such that when the keys are depressed the movable keyboard and frame to which it is connected is depressed and the trip-levers operated, and when the keys are released the frame and attached keyboard rises, and with it the inclicating devices released by the keys, substantially as described.

21. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the adding mechanism, the indicatin g devices, and the money-drawer, of the frames, the movable keyboard, the trips and trip-levers, and the drawer-coupling mechanism, the arrangement being such that when the keyboard is depressed the indicators are released and the drawer uncoupled, and when the keys are released the indicators are set by the counterweighted frame, substantially as described.

22. In a cash registerand indicator, the combination, with the movable keyboard arranged to move a uniform distance, of the keys having shoulders permitting a slight movement of the keys with relation to the keyboard, and springs for returning them to their nor mal position, the keys being arranged to move with the movable keyboard to operate the indicating devices, substantially as described.

23. In a cash register and indicator, the comb1nat1on,with the movable keyboard and movable keys thereof, of the moving frames connected together, indicating devices and trips controlling the indicating devices and operated by the keys, and an all-round pawl and ratchet connected to the frames to insure a full movement of the movable keyboard, substantially as described.

24. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the vertically-moving indicator-rods, of the gravity-trips secured thereto, the trip-levers holding them in position operated by the keys, and the vertically-moving reciprocating bar I) for engaging the trips and raising the indicating devices, substantially as described.

25. In a cash registerand indicator, the combination, with the vertically-moving indicator-rods arranged in one plane, of the indicators attached to the rods and arranged in groups, the indicators of each group being parallel to each other and extending for the same distance, so as to cover each other, and

arranged at aninclination to the plane of the rods, substantially as described.

26. In a cash register and indicator, the combination, with the adding mechanism, of a series of pins P, arranged parallel to each other in 'one plane, each pin carrying at its inner extremity a foot-piece on which is located a secondary pin parallel to the main pin,

the foot-piece of each pin being of a different shape, substantially as described.

27. The combination, with the adding mechanism, of a series of pins P, arranged parallel to each other in one plane, each pin carrying at its inner extremity a foot-piece on which is located a secondary pin parallel to the main pin, the foot-piece of each pin overlapping the foot-piece of the next preceding pin and all the secondary pins lying in the arc of a circle, substantially as described.

28. A drawer, a follower for the drawer, and coupling devices between the drawer and follower, arranged to connect and disconnect the drawer and follower, substantially as described.

29. A drawer composed of two parts, the drawer proper and a follower, and a coupling device between the drawer and follower arranged so that when the drawer is pushed home it is automatically coupled to the follower, substantially as described.

30. The combination,with the adding mechanism and indicating devices, of a drawer composed of two parts, the drawer proper and the follower, a coupling device between the drawer and the follower, and connections between the adding mechanism and the indicating devices for uncoupling the coupler when the adding mechanism and lndicating devices are operated, substantially as described.

31. In a cash-register, a'drawer, a follower, and a sounding device connected with the follower, substantially as described.

32. In a cash-register, the combination, with the adding mechanism and indicating devices,

- of a drawer and a follower,a coupler between the drawer and follower, a sounding device on the follower, and connections between the adding and indicating devices and follower for releasing the latter when the former are operated, substantially as described.

33. In a cash-register, the combination, with the adding and indicating devices, of a drawer having a cover, a follower, a coupling device between the drawer and the follower, and connections between the coupling device and the adding mechanism and indicating devices, the arrangement being such that when the drawer is withdrawn without operating the adding and indicating devices the cover and follower are withdrawn withit, but when the adding and indicating devices are operated the follower is released and the drawer withdrawn alone, substantially as described.

34. In acash-register, the combination, with the drawer and uncoupling mechanism, of a moving keyboard operating the uncoupling mechanism, whereby the drawer may be opened to make change without pressing any one of the keys, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. R. YOUNG, WILLIAM H. YOUNG. 

